Being able to prepare healthy foods is an essential life skill that can feel overwhelming – not only to perform, but also to hand down to our littles. We know we need to teach children these skills, but often, having little helpers in the kitchen can make a task take longer. One way to overcome this hurdle is to start off small, prepare yourself (both emotionally and time-wise), and to see cooking as not only skill-building time, but also as playtime.
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For many busy parents, sometimes it seems it’s easier to ‘just do it yourself’ when it comes to cooking for the family. When you’re in charge, you can control the nutritional value, measure how long it takes before it's on the table, and sometimes, most importantly, minimize the mess in the kitchen.
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As a little girl, l would marvel at my Nanna and Granny baking. They would flutter around the kitchen, grabbing ingredients and creating delicious concoctions that smelled divine and tasted even better. There never seemed to be a recipe around, they just seemed to know what to do instinctively. It almost seemed like magic when they turned a blob of gooey batter into a scrumptious cookie. Patiently, I would wait for the ding of the oven timer and run into the kitchen to be the first to sample the freshly-baked wares. That first bite was heaven, well pure joy, actually. I am sure you are all imagining your own moments like that right now as you are reading these words. A memory so ingrained in your mind and so precious.
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Summertime is the perfect season to enjoy a fancy cocktail on the patio, but don’t forget the kids! Whether you’re cutting back on alcohol yourself or want to give your little ones a special summer treat at your next barbecue, we have some great mocktail recipes to please the crowd.
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